ON THE WINGS OF THE WIND
Photograph by Rhon-Rossitten Co.
KRONFELD TAKES OFF IN HIS MOTORLESS MONOPLANE FROM THE WASSERKUPPE
see me land. But again I took the air,
probably to their youthful disappointment.
A DIZZY SIDESLIP OUT OF THE CLOUDS
"Cruising easily about for half an hour,
I again found myself high in the clouds.
Once more the dense, white mists folded
about me. With no instruments aboard,
I turned my plane to the wind, feeling for
its direction and strength. But I must
have banked too steeply on fhe curve. A
quick, powerful gust hit me unexpectedly
and, in a split second, I was floundering
helplessly in the most dangerous situation
of all my flying career.
"Now the air fairly roared past-and I
was falling! I pulled the elevator up, but
only felt the wind tearing faster past my
sides. In the next instant I fell out of
the clouds, with one wing down, in a dizzy
sideslip.
"But, once below the clouds, I could see
the ground again and judge the position
of my plane. A quick, gentle pressure on
the rudder and I was righted, on an even
keel.
"Below me now was the Kreuzberg,
with its old monastery sheltering its many
crosses and pictures of calm, kindly saints,
who never dreamed that one day men
would fly over the world and look down
on its temples-pagan and Christian.
"Flying now below the fog and clouds,
or through patches so thick that now and
again I lost sight of the ground, I flew
over the village of Sandberg toward a
forest.
SAIL-FLYERS DREAD FORESTS
"No sail-flyer likes forests. They lack
landing places. But I managed to keep
safely above the trees. Then I saw a wide
valley ahead, with light-green meadows
and steep slopes running in a direction
that promised me helpful air streams. It
was so far away that I was doubtful of
my ability to reach it. But by carefully
using every slope that offered upward
wind, and climbing high on the vertical air
waves there, I got to the valley. It proved
to be that of the Saale River.
"But by this time I had again lost much
altitude. In the river valley lay the ham
let of Steinach. I cruised low over it.
My sudden, silent appearance just over
their heads greatly astonished the in
habitants. They came running out into
the road to see me land. But I had to